Osteochondrosis of the spine is characterized by deformation of the intervertebral discs, which affects the state of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system. Similar degenerative changes appear in the thoracic spine and manifest with certain symptoms.
Characteristics of the disease.
According to medical statistics, more than 30% of the world's population suffers from osteochondrosis. And every year the patients are getting younger. But compared to cervical and lumbar osteochondrosis, thoracic osteochondrosis occurs much less frequently.This fact is explained by the structure of this department:
- It has a natural curvature, so some of the load is taken off when walking upright;
- the other part falls on the ribs and sternum, which play the role of a physiological framework;
- this is the longest section of the spine (12 vertebrae), but the spinal canal is the narrowest;
- the thoracic vertebrae are small in size, but are equipped with long spinous processes;
- he is inactive.
If a deformation of the intervertebral disc appears in the thoracic region, it gradually disappears. But it manifests itself painfully.
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis.
How clearly the disease manifests itself depends on its stage, lifestyle and age of the patient.It is characterized by the following symptoms:
- Pain. It is felt in the upper back, between the shoulder blades and surrounds the intercostal spaces with neuralgia. It gets worse when coughing, breathing deeply, and turning your body. As there are many nerve fibers in the chest, pain appears in the chest (dorsal), as if it were a heart attack.
- radiculitis. In addition to pain, there is a loss of sensitivity. Typically, the extremities, upper abdomen, and area below the collarbone become numb.
- paresthesia. There is a feeling of goosebumps all over your body.
- cardiac syndrome. Severe heart pain persists that does not go away after taking the medication.
- pulmonary syndrome. It is manifested by suffocation and congestion in the lungs.
- abdominal syndrome. Characterized by persistent pain in the digestive organs.
- Muscle tension. It occurs reflexively in the upper back and chest.
In men and women, the clinical picture is approximately the same. But signs of thoracic osteochondrosis in women usually appear at the beginning of menopause. Before this, the spine is protected by estrogen.
In men, complications of the disease can affect potency.
The symptoms of osteochondrosis are much more worrying at night than during the day. They are intensified by hypothermia, movement and stress. It is believed that women suffer from spinal pain much more severely.
Location of pain syndrome.
The diagnosis of the disease is complicated by the symptomatic similarity with other ailments: myocardial infarction, angina pectoris and gastrointestinal disorders. This phenomenon occurs because the innervation of the nerves is altered and the pain radiates to different parts of the body:
- In thoracic osteochondrosis, symptoms with a sensation of pain in the heart appear when the first to sixth thoracic nerves are affected. In women, the mammary glands may feel sore.
- If thoracic nerves 6 to 9 are affected, pain in the stomach occurs. The sensations are the same as with colitis and gastritis. There may be a sensation of the presence of a foreign body in the esophagus.
- In the small intestine, kidneys and genitals, if the pathological processes affect discs 11 and 12.
To make an accurate diagnosis, an orthopedic surgeon prescribes an examination to the patient.
It is necessary to undergo x-rays, CT or MRI scans, ECG and mammograms in women.
The results will help determine the stage of the disease and treatment options.
Stages of the disease
Depending on the ongoing pathological processes, 4 stages of development of thoracic osteochondrosis are distinguished:
| Scenery | Changes | Symptoms |
| First | Dehydration of the discs, which causes loss of elasticity. Its height decreases, but its width increases: the intervertebral disc gradually flattens. | The pain appears directly in the damaged ring. It can be throwing or shooting. |
| Second | The annulus fibrosus begins to disintegrate. The nerve roots are compressed, causing pain. | There is pain when moving. Discomfort appears when maintaining a posture for a long time. |
| Third | The annulus fibrosus ruptures causing a herniated disc to form. Scoliosis or pathological kyphosis develops. | There is pain when moving. Discomfort appears when maintaining a posture for a long time. |
| Four | Friction of the vertebrae against each other appears, which causes displacement of the intervertebral joints. The tissue surrounding the vertebrae becomes inflamed. Cartilage tissue is replaced by bone tissue, which reduces motor functions. Fibrosis appears. | There is pain when moving. Discomfort appears when maintaining a posture for a long time. |
Stages of exacerbation and remission can be observed. The latter is often observed in stage 4.
Degrees of the disease.
This is a more modern classification of the symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis, which is used by specialists.
| Degrees | Changes and symptoms. |
| First | Rupture of the intervertebral disc caused by sudden movement or excessive effort. Sharp pain, similar to the passage of an electric current along the spine. muscle contracture. |
| Second | Characterized by instability of the spine. Pain when moving. Outgoing. |
| Third | The pain becomes constant. Loss of sensitivity. Change in gear. Severe headaches. Difficult breathing. Tachycardia. |
| Four | The spine is unstable: the vertebrae slide and twist. Osteophytes grow, pinching the spinal nerves and putting pressure on the spinal cord. |
Thoracic osteochondrosis can lead to serious diseases that will be difficult to cure.
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine.
Symptoms in women practically do not differ from the clinical picture in men. The main difference in this case is that in the female half of humanity, osteochondrosis develops at an older age. The female body has a peculiarity: estrogens effectively protect the intervertebral discs from destruction, so signs of osteochondrosis in women begin to appear more often during the menopausal period or with a hormonal imbalance. Also, as already noted, the signs of thoracic osteochondrosis can be similar to the symptoms of dangerous diseases of the mammary glands.
Therefore, women should undergo a test such as a mammogram to clarify the diagnosis.
Thoracic osteochondrosis in women can manifest itself in different ways. The clinical picture will depend on the age, the stage of the pathology, as well as which vertebra is affected and to what extent. One of the signs of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine in women is burning and itching between the shoulder blades.The main symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in women are as follows:
- Dorsago ("lumbago in the chest", "dagger pain") is a sudden, intense, sharp pain in the chest (between the shoulder blades), which most often occurs after a long stay in the same uncomfortable position. With lumbago in the chest, the muscles tense sharply and strongly: the person feels as if it is difficult to breathe. Pain during dorsum may intensify if you rotate your upper body.
- Thoracalgia is mild chronic pain in the sternum. Thoracalgia can manifest itself not only with osteochondrosis, but also with diseases of the internal organs located in this area (lungs, heart, stomach). The main difference between this type of pain in osteochondrosis is its superficiality and segmental manifestation along the intercostal spaces. Thoracalgia with osteochondrosis intensifies with movements and deep breathing and disappears with rest.
The following manifestations may indicate that osteochondrosis is progressing:
- numbness, goosebumps in some areas of the skin;
- burning, itching between the shoulder blades;
- feeling of coldness in the legs;
- pain in the pharynx and esophagus;
- dysfunctions of the stomach and intestines.
Treatment of pathology in women.
It is practically impossible to completely get rid of already progressing thoracic osteochondrosis, but it is quite possible to slow down or even stop the formation of a degenerative-dystrophic pathological process in the tissues of the moving segments of the spine using the means and methods of modern medicine. . The optimal therapeutic effect can only be achieved with an integrated approach to the treatment of this pathology using medications, various physiotherapeutic techniques and targeted exercise therapy techniques (physiotherapy).
Symptoms and treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine in women are not much different from those in men. In the acute period of osteochondrosis of the thoracic segment of the spine, the patient needs intensive treatment of the exacerbation, during which various medications and physical procedures are used to help eliminate, first of all, the pain syndrome and, in parallel, other negative manifestations. of the illness.
During remission, the patient should be prescribed maintenance treatment, based mainly on taking drugs that restore the osteochondral structure and physiotherapy. In especially severe cases, surgical intervention is sometimes used to stabilize the position of the spine.
Sensation in women with osteochondrosis.
The symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis, in addition to the typical ones, which indicate the presence of pathology of the thoracic region, in medical practice there are also atypical signs of the disease:
- Painful manifestations in the heart area.. In this case, the symptoms are more similar to those of a heart disease, such as a heart attack or angina. The pain feels dull or aching and can last for months. However, no vascular drugs improve and ECG results do not reveal any abnormalities.
- Discomfort in the mammary glands.. Most often it manifests itself in women and is characterized by persistent painful sensations. It can often be confused with diseases of the mammary glands. In this case, a more detailed diagnosis is necessary.
- Specific spasms and pain in the abdominal cavity.. It is distinguished by typical signs of various pathological processes in the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, which are often confused with gastritis, ulcers or cholecystitis. It intensifies with physical movements.
Experts have also identified two signs of thoracic osteochondrosis that, if detected, can immediately indicate the development of the disease: the so-called back and back pain.
Complications of the disease.
Thoracic osteochondrosis is a painful disease that greatly reduces the patient's quality of life.
Often, osteochondrosis affects gradually or several departments at once.
If not treated in time, compression of the vessel can cause:
- to disorders of the cardiovascular system;
- vegetative system;
- digestive;
- respiratory;
- Fainting;
- dizziness;
- panic and fear attacks that occur with tachycardia and suffocation;
- chronic fatigue;
- Herpes.
Therefore, the treatment of the disease must be comprehensive, aimed at eliminating all symptoms. When diagnosed early and correctly, treatment has a favorable prognosis.